James Encinas

James Encinas rode his bike across the US— from Los Angeles to New Jersey— twice. The first trip, in his mid-twenties, was fueled by anger. The second, at age 56, was in pursuit of healing for himself and others. The journeys offered him peace, understanding, and hope as he met people who had lived through trauma and overcome it.

He wrote Wheeling to Healing… Broken Heart on a Bicycle, about understanding and healing from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). As a child, Encinas experienced domestic abuse, bullying, and discrimination, and into his adult life, he says “memories of trauma limited my personal development and freedom. At one point, I was motivated to retaliate against my father for the violence he brought into my early life, but eventually was able to find forgiveness and care for him late in his life in a way that I wish he had been able to care for me in my childhood.”

Encinas’s story takes readers to places where hurt originates and then into landscapes that offer larger views and growth. It educates people about the science of trauma, and offers methods that can start a unique process of healing.

A former actor and grade school teacher, Encinas has spent recent years as a parent education specialist, teacher trainer and speaker. He has presented to  diverse groups, including The Aces Project Health Federation of Philadelphia, the Aspen Action Forum, Futures Without Violence, Trauma-Informed Community Gathering, and many more.